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Abortion as a correlate of fertility and infant outcome in North Carolina

I
A SPECIAL REPORT SERIES BY THE N.C. DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, DIVISION OF
HEALTH SERVICES, STATE CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS, P.O. BOX 2091, RALEIGH, N.C. 27602
No. 45
nc documents
clearinghouse
JUL 14 1988
N.C. STATE LIBRARY
RALEIGH
June, 1988
ABORTION AS A CORRELATE OF FERTILITY AND
INFANT OUTCOME IN NORTH CAROLINA
by
Kathryn B. Surles
ABSTRACT
For the period 1978-1986, nonwhite abortion utilization was found to be negatively and significantly
correlated with the fertility rate and the fetal and neonatal death rates of nonwhite infants born in the same year.
Further, correlations between the abortion ratio and the fetal and neonatal death rates of infants born to nonwhite
women in specific age, education, marital, and birth-order categories were generally negative and usually high for
the more populous categories of women. After adjustment for each of theseveral maternal variables, correlations
between the abortion ratio and the neonatal death rate of nonwhites were especially high, all being statistically
significant.
An assessment of 1981-1986 abortion use among nonwhites suggests unmet demand in 1982, particularly
during March-June of 1982 when the State Abortion Fund was depleted. In general, a high degree of
correspondence is found between fiscal-year measures of nonwhite met and unmet demand and the number of
state-funded abortions.
Although the evidence is purely circumstantial, the associations observed in this study seem sufficient to raise
concern about restrictions that may serve to reduce abortion among poor women since such restrictions may be
followed by increased fertility and perinatal mortality.

I
A SPECIAL REPORT SERIES BY THE N.C. DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, DIVISION OF
HEALTH SERVICES, STATE CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS, P.O. BOX 2091, RALEIGH, N.C. 27602
No. 45
nc documents
clearinghouse
JUL 14 1988
N.C. STATE LIBRARY
RALEIGH
June, 1988
ABORTION AS A CORRELATE OF FERTILITY AND
INFANT OUTCOME IN NORTH CAROLINA
by
Kathryn B. Surles
ABSTRACT
For the period 1978-1986, nonwhite abortion utilization was found to be negatively and significantly
correlated with the fertility rate and the fetal and neonatal death rates of nonwhite infants born in the same year.
Further, correlations between the abortion ratio and the fetal and neonatal death rates of infants born to nonwhite
women in specific age, education, marital, and birth-order categories were generally negative and usually high for
the more populous categories of women. After adjustment for each of theseveral maternal variables, correlations
between the abortion ratio and the neonatal death rate of nonwhites were especially high, all being statistically
significant.
An assessment of 1981-1986 abortion use among nonwhites suggests unmet demand in 1982, particularly
during March-June of 1982 when the State Abortion Fund was depleted. In general, a high degree of
correspondence is found between fiscal-year measures of nonwhite met and unmet demand and the number of
state-funded abortions.
Although the evidence is purely circumstantial, the associations observed in this study seem sufficient to raise
concern about restrictions that may serve to reduce abortion among poor women since such restrictions may be
followed by increased fertility and perinatal mortality.